Dr Katharine Vincent and Ms Tracy Cull are working with CSIR to produce a second edition of the popular publication Climate Risk and Vulnerability: A handbook for southern Africa (also available in Portuguese). The first edition presented novel high resolution climate projections (produced through both statistical and dynamical downscaling), vulnerability, impacts and adaptation, including case studies from across the region. It was also used in customised training courses in Mozambique, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe. The second edition will provided updated climate projections, sector-based impacts and responses, and new sections interrogating climate policy, the linkages between adaptation and disaster risk reduction, and climate finance opportunities.

The final draft of the IPCCWorking Group 2 (Vulnerability, Impacts and Adaptation) report was submitted on Friday, with inputs from Kulima's directors. Dr Katharine Vincent has served as a Lead Author on the Rural Areas chapter, and a Contributing Author to the Africa chapter, whilst Ms Tracy Cull has served as a Contributing Author to the Rural Areas chapter. The draft will now undergo another round of government review prior to being finalised and released in 2014. Dr Katharine Vincent is also a Lead Author on the Technical Summary for Working Group 2.

Dr Katharine Vincent is currently in Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the 3rd Lead Authors Meeting of IPCCWorking Group 2 on Vulnerability, Impacts and Adaptation. Katharine is serving as a lead author on chapter 9 – rural areas, and a contributing author on chapter 22 – Africa. Ms Tracy Cull is serving as a contributing author on chapter 9 – rural areas. The Fifth Assessment Report will be forthcoming in 2014.

Training course dates have just been announced for the USAID-funded project on Climate Risk and Vulnerability in Southern Africa, implemented by CSIR and Kulima. The project aims to build the capacity of decision-makers across the SADC region to use weather and climate information in their decision-making. Customised training courses are being developed, reflecting needs assessment visits undertaken in Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The first training course will take place in Maputo from 12-14 September, the second one will take place in Lusaka from 19-21 September, the third will take place in Harare from 25-27 September, and the fourth one will take place in Windhoek from 9-11 October.